As the world's first kid-centric app universe powered by Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, The VROOM works on Apple, Android, and Windows 10 and is built to run on smartphones as easily as on tablets.

The VROOM's initial round of immersive activities and experiences will be offered at no charge and include 3D animated stories and interactive adventures from premiere Playing Forward partners, including Dex T-Rex, a virtual pop-up book from Stan Lee's Kids Universe.

Augmented reality and virtual reality will multiply the fun-factor for kids while making best use of kids' daily allowance of screen time through games and stories that promote empathy, problem-solving abilities, personal resilience, and the management of emotions—what educators call "social-emotional learning" (SEL).

John Attard, CEO of Playing Forward, says, "Social-emotional learning is at the heart of every app and experience that we create. The VROOM is a digital playground that from a child's point of view is pure entertainment. But as parents we know that The VROOM's VR and AR activities are based on the SEL model. Incorporating the benefits of social-emotional learning into children's lives is something that educators are increasingly telling us is crucial for relationship-building skills. The idea that SEL gives little learners the tools they need to thrive in the real world is what is so important to us and what drives our development of digital books, videos, toys, and games."

Playing Forward will house in The VROOM a quickly expanding list of SEL-based "worlds" for so-called little learners to explore. The first round of characters populating The VROOM include Stan Lee's Kids Universe's "Dex T-Rex," a mischievous dinosaur who learns about the consequences of his actions. Other VROOM characters include "Maxi The Taxi Dog," and "The Monkey King," with more titles on the way in time for the holiday season.

The technology behind Playing Forward's offerings for kids makes age-appropriate use of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for the first time in the children's entertainment space. As one example, Playing Forward's image-recognition software allows a physical picture book on a child's desk, when viewed through a smartphone, to come to life as a multi-dimensional pop-up book.

Stan Lee's Kids Universe is a partnership between Paris Kasidokostas and Terry Dougas's 1821 Media and Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment 1821 Media and Stan Lee's POW! Entertainment that focuses on expanding the imagination, literacy, and education of children all over the world. Stan Lee's Kids Universe properties can be found as picture books, interactive and digital books, graphic novels, augmented and virtual reality projects, mobile games, and mobile apps. An expansion of Stan Lee's Kids Universe into the world of film and television is already underway.

The VROOM's app can be downloaded for free at Apple's App Store and Google Play by searching PF VROOM.

The VROOM and its product lineup will be presented at Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con, October 28th to 30th, with Stan Lee himself introducing the new partnership. Playing Forward will also be offering a sneak peek at the company's future offerings for technologies such as the Hololens.